Dean Richards will never be allowed to forget how he tarnished the image of
the game in the notorious Harlequins ‘Bloodgate’ scandal, but he returns to
the Premiership as director of rugby at the Newcastle Falcons on a mission
to widen the sport’s appeal.

Back in the big time: Dean Richards returns to the Premiership for the first time since ‘Bloodgate’Photo: GETTY IMAGES

“I think it’s massive for the whole of the north of England, not just the North East, to have Newcastle back in the Premiership,” said

Richards, four years after he resigned at Harlequins for orchestrating the use of a blood capsule to create a fake injury to winger Tom Williams during a Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster.

“There is this conglomerate of clubs in the London area which think they rule the game and we need to restore the balance of power a little bit towards the North.

“If we can get Leeds back as well, it will make a massive difference to the sport as a national game. We don’t want to just be a northern outpost here.

“People forget the rich heritage rugby union has in the North East. There is great tradition up here and the Falcons can tap into that. The surface hasn’t been scratched really and I think this club can go on to really surprise people over the next few years.”

‘Bloodgate’ left a deep scar on the reputation of the former England and Lions international and led to a three-year suspension from coaching. His exile ended last year when he took on the challenge of leading Newcastle back into rugby’s top flight following their relegation to the Championship and succeeded.

Richards’ actions were condemned, but he paid the price for the same “win-at-all-costs” approach England cricketer Stuart Broad has been so happy to boast about this week after he refused to walk when he was caught during this summer’s Ashes series.

The former Leicester Tiger does not dwell on the past. He knows he made a mistake driven by his fierce desire to win and while his methods have changed, that fire still burns inside him as he prepares Newcastle for their return to the Aviva Premiership.

Survival will be Newcastle’s primary objective but Richards wants to ensure they do more than just keep their heads above water. “I’m relishing the challenge, I can’t wait,” he said. “The Premiership has evolved since I was in charge of Harlequins, but we are constantly challenging ourselves.

“I’ve been here before and seen it before. It doesn’t faze me if we’re tipped to struggle, but I think genuine rugby people will see we’ve got a balanced team and, barring too many injuries, we’ll not be fighting it out down the bottom.

“I hope people don’t get the wrong idea when I say I’m not thinking about survival. I want to stay up, but I don’t want to be down the bottom, I want to be a little bit higher up.

“If I have a goal, it’s to win every game, or at least have a chance of winning. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the changes from when I arrived last August to today have been absolutely massive and there will be more changes over the next three or four years. It’s about getting into a position where we are always up at the top, fighting for silverware.”

They have made some astute signings over the summer, not least the Scotland international pair, scrum-half Mike Blair and hooker Scott Lawson.

Although the departure of Kiwi fly-half Jimmy Gopperth is a blow, the return of their former academy player Rory Clegg from Harlequins will soften the blow alongside the more experienced Phil Godman.

“If you look at the signings we have made, there is a lot of experience there,” Richards added. “We are trying to blend that experience with the young talent we have so that we are strong, not just for this season, but going forward.”